One Is Fun: Exploring the Number 1
Materials Needed
- Large paper or a whiteboard
- Crayon or washable marker
- Small objects to count, such as blocks, toy animals, or buttons
- Paper and child-safe scissors
- Glue
- One sticker, toy, or favorite object
- Optional: music for a movement game
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:
- Recognize the numeral 1.
- Count one object correctly.
- Show one item when asked.
- Trace or attempt to write the numeral 1.
- Explain that “one” means a single item.
Success Criteria
Success looks like this:
- “I can find the number 1.”
- “I can give you one thing.”
- “I can count one object.”
- “I can try to make a 1.”
Introduction: Hook and Objectives
Time: 5 minutes
Show the child one favorite toy or one sticker.
Say: “Look! I have one toy. One means just one. Today we will play with the number 1, find one thing, count one thing, and make the number 1.”
Talk together:
- “How many toys do I have?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing near you?”
Body: Learn and Practice
1. I Do: Meet the Number 1
Time: 5 minutes
Draw a large numeral 1 on paper or a whiteboard.
Say: “This is the number 1. It looks like a straight line. Number 1 tells us there is one thing.”
Point to one object and count slowly: “One.”
Model tracing the numeral while saying: “Start at the top and go down.”
Quick check:
- “Point to the number 1.”
- “Show me one finger.”
- “Which group has one object?”
2. We Do: One-Object Hunt
Time: 8 minutes
Look around the room together and find objects that come in groups of one.
For each object, say: “I found one ______.”
Examples:
- One chair
- One lamp
- One book
- One shoe
- One stuffed animal
Give the child a small collection of objects. Ask the child to give you one object at a time.
Say: “Please give me one block.” After the child gives one block, respond: “You gave me one block. Great counting!”
Think and talk:
- “What is one thing you like?”
- “Can you find one red object?”
- “Can you bring me one toy?”
3. We Do: Number 1 Movement Game
Time: 5 minutes
Call out an action and the number of times to do it. Keep every action to one.
- “Do one jump!”
- “Clap one time!”
- “Turn around one time!”
- “Tap your knees one time!”
Let the child choose an action for the adult to do once.
4. You Do: Make a Number 1 Collage
Time: 10 minutes
Draw a large numeral 1 on a piece of paper.
- Help the child cut or tear small pieces of paper.
- Ask the child to glue the pieces inside the number 1.
- Invite the child to add exactly one sticker or one small drawing beside the number.
- Ask the child to point to the numeral and say, “This is 1.”
Choice: The child may decorate the number with crayons, paint, stickers, paper, or fingerprints.
5. You Do: Trace and Write
Time: 5 minutes
Make several large dotted numeral 1s.
Invite the child to:
- Trace the dotted lines with a finger.
- Trace them with a crayon.
- Try to draw one independently.
Say: “Start at the top. Go straight down. You made a 1!”
Accept any reasonable attempt. At age four, control and confidence are more important than perfect handwriting.
Formative Assessment
Check understanding throughout the lesson by asking the child to:
- Point to the numeral 1.
- Show one finger.
- Choose one object from a group.
- Count one object aloud.
- Follow a direction one time.
Summative Assessment: Show What You Know
Time: 5 minutes
Place several groups of objects in front of the child. Include groups with zero, one, and more than one object.
Ask the child to complete these tasks:
- “Point to the group with one object.”
- “Give me one object.”
- “Show me one finger.”
- “Point to the number 1.”
- “Try to draw a 1.”
Simple evaluation:
- Ready: The child identifies 1 and gives one object with little or no help.
- Growing: The child succeeds with reminders or modeling.
- Needs more practice: The child is still learning that 1 means one single object.
Differentiation and Support
For a child who needs extra support
- Use only two choices: one object and a group of two objects.
- Guide the child’s hand while counting and tracing.
- Use large objects that are easy to see and touch.
- Repeat the phrase: “One means just one.”
- Practice for short periods with movement breaks.
For a child ready for a challenge
- Ask the child to find one object of a certain color or shape.
- Invite the child to write the numeral 1 in sand, flour, or shaving cream.
- Ask: “What happens if I add one more?”
- Look for the number 1 in a book, calendar, clock, or package.
- Have the child create a picture with one sun, one tree, or one animal.
Real-World Connection
During the day, point out examples of one:
- “You have one nose.”
- “You are holding one spoon.”
- “There is one moon in the picture.”
- “You chose one snack.”
Conclusion and Recap
Time: 3 minutes
Review the child’s collage and ask:
- “What number did we learn?”
- “What does 1 mean?”
- “Can you show me one finger?”
- “Can you find one thing to put away?”
Finish with: “Today we learned that 1 means one. You found one, counted one, moved one time, and made the number 1!”
Optional Follow-Up Activity
Read a picture book that includes counting or the number 1. Pause on each page and ask the child to find one object. At another time, take a “number 1 walk” and photograph or draw one interesting thing you see.